Ginseng berry
Ginseng berry suppliers and sourcing guide
Ginseng berry is the red fruit of Panax ginseng, the Asian or Korean ginseng plant, which is otherwise grown for its root. Berries are picked in summer from plants that are still in the ground, then dried, juiced or extracted with water or ethanol and concentrated to a powder standardized to ginsenosides by HPLC. Supply is concentrated in Korea and northeast China and is much smaller than ginseng root supply.
- Category
- Botanicals and mushrooms
- Also known as
- Panax ginseng fruit · Korean ginseng berry · Asian ginseng berry · ginseng berry extract
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of ginseng berry
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Standardized dry extract
Water or hydroalcoholic berry extract spray dried and sold with a minimum total ginsenoside content by a named HPLC method.
Juice concentrate
Concentrated berry juice for drinks and syrups, sold by solids content.
Whole dried berry powder
Dried, milled berries including seed, not concentrated.
Seedless pulp extract
Extract made from berry pulp with seeds removed, which changes the ginsenoside profile.
Organic
Berries from certified organic ginseng farms, offered by few suppliers.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Identity
- HPTLC or HPLC fingerprint confirming Panax ginseng berry and distinguishing it from root material and from American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius).
- Ginsenoside assay (HPLC)
- Total and individual ginsenosides, with the method named, since berry and root extracts have different ginsenoside patterns and results across methods are not interchangeable.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS.
- Pesticide residues
- Multi-residue screen; ginseng is a multi-year field crop that is commonly sprayed.
- Microbiology
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, E. coli and Salmonella.
- Residual solvents
- Ethanol and any other solvent used in extraction.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Keep extracts sealed in lined drums or foil bags in a cool, dry, dark place; berry extracts are hygroscopic and cake once exposed to humid air. Juice concentrates should be kept closed and cool and checked for fermentation if held long. Shelf life or retest date comes from the supplier's specification, with the ginsenoside assay repeated at retest.
Lots and expiry dates
Ginsenoside content varies with harvest year, plant age and the share of seed in the extract, so record the assay, method and plant part for each lot. Ask suppliers for country of origin and any CITES paperwork their ginseng requires.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Panax ginseng (POL-NF-00566) concerns the plant and lists the whole plant as not novel in food.
Source: ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Panax ginseng natural health product monograph lists the root and rootlet as the source parts; the berry is not among them.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database entry for Panax ginseng notes that the species is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Ginseng berry suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking ginseng berry suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell ginseng berry? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of ginseng berry can brands buy?
Common forms include standardized dry extract, juice concentrate, whole dried berry powder, seedless pulp extract and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for ginseng berry include?
Expect identity, ginsenoside assay (HPLC), heavy metals, pesticide residues, microbiology and residual solvents, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should ginseng berry be stored?
Keep extracts sealed in lined drums or foil bags in a cool, dry, dark place; berry extracts are hygroscopic and cake once exposed to humid air. Juice concentrates should be kept closed and cool and checked for fermentation if held long. Shelf life or retest date comes from the supplier's specification, with the ginsenoside assay repeated at retest.
What is the regulatory status of ginseng berry?
The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Panax ginseng (POL-NF-00566) concerns the plant and lists the whole plant as not novel in food. Health Canada's Panax ginseng natural health product monograph lists the root and rootlet as the source parts; the berry is not among them. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database entry for Panax ginseng notes that the species is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
More botanicals and mushrooms
- AshwagandhaWithania somnifera · Indian ginseng
- ElderberrySambucus nigra · black elderberry
- Green Tea ExtractCamellia sinensis leaf extract · Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze
- Lion's ManeHericium erinaceus · lion's mane mushroom
- MacaLepidium meyenii · Lepidium peruvianum
- TurmericCurcuma longa · curcumin
- Ginger rootZingiber officinale · ginger rhizome
- GarlicAllium sativum · garlic powder
- EchinaceaEchinacea purpurea · Echinacea angustifolia
- Milk thistleSilybum marianum · silymarin
- Saw palmettoSerenoa repens · Sabal serrulata
- Ginkgo bilobaGinkgo biloba · ginkgo leaf extract
Sell ingredients to brands?
Request a free listing for the ingredients you make or distribute. No paid placement.